GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--From “teamwork” to “loyalty” to “the vibe,” entrepreneurs define company
culture in different ways – but nine out of 10 agree that organizational
culture is key to their company’s success, according to the turnstoneSmall Business Culture at Work Report. The survey, which examined
the role of culture at 515 companies with 100 or fewer employees,
revealed that 87% of entrepreneurs feel it helps their business thrive
by fostering greater productivity and creativity as well as attracting
and retaining customers, but seven in 10 are unsatisfied with their
current culture.

Emerging companies are often admired for having vibrant cultures that
engage employees through unique office amenities and team-building
activities. According to the survey though, 80 percent of respondents
consider the physical environment in which they work to play a key role
in the company’s culture. In fact, updates to the physical environment
to better reflect work behaviors, such as adding a greater variety of
places to work, collaborate and socialize, were one of three areas
suggested by business owners as needing improvement (26%). Less than
one-third, (31%), of entrepreneurs offer employees a variety of
workspace options to choose from, including private areas and lounge
settings.

With only 28% of respondents satisfied with their current company
culture, the survey found the other top areas for improvement were
employee motivation and collaboration (31%), followed by office perks
like free lunches and massages (27%). Additionally, wellbeing may not
always be top of mind, as less than one-fourth (22%) of entrepreneurs
said employees feel supported to follow healthy behaviors throughout the
day, including stepping away from their desks and changing postures and
workstations.

“After years of studying work environments, our research team has
consistently found that companies that place value on their physical
space and seek ways to champion employee wellbeing are more likely to
have workers who are inspired, engaged, productive and loyal,” said
Brian Shapland, General Manager of turnstone. “As this report shows,
leading entrepreneurs recognize that the physical environment can
activate their culture, shape the behavior of their people, and amplify
the performance of their organization.”

Additional findings of the survey include:

Culture Carries More Weight as Companies Grow. While start-ups
and microbusinesses are often commended for having inspiring cultures,
the turnstone Small Business Culture at Work Report found company
culture becomes more important to businesses as the number of
employees rises – particularly after the 10th employee
joins the team.

Holidays, snacks and training still matter: In addition to
giving employees paid time off for vacation and holidays (51%), 47% of
entrepreneurs provide complimentary snacks and meals, and 43% offer
in-house training and outside seminars for learning opportunities.

A trend toward belonging and authenticity: Nearly half (47%)
encourage employees to display personal items and share their passions
that extend beyond work. And while larger companies have made news by
asking more employees to return to the office, nearly half (41%) of
small and emerging companies offer employees the choice and
flexibility to telecommute or work from home.

METHODOLOGY

The research provided by Ebiquity is based on a nationally
representative sample of 515 small business owners/managers of companies
with fewer than 100 employees. The anonymous survey was conducted online
April 28 – May 2, 2014. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 4.3% at
the 95% confidence level.

ABOUT TURNSTONE

Turnstone ® is a Steelcase Inc. brand inspired by the start-up culture
exhibited by small and emerging businesses. By studying start-up culture
and workplace environments and applying the resulting insights,
turnstone designs solutions that help customers stay focused on the
business, culture and employees. Running a business is hard enough—
having a great space to work in should be easy, inspiring, and fun. For
more information, visit www.myturnstone.com.